Mechanism for pressure discharge of streams of liquid



Aug. 27, 1945. BOYCE 2,406,659

MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE DISCHARGE OF STREAMS OF LIQUID Filed Oct. 51, 1944 2 Sheets- Shea; 1

Aug. 27, A1946.

M. B-BOYCEY MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE DISCHARGE OF STREAMS OF LIQUID Filed 0d. 51, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f INVEN TOR. g

Patented Aug. 27, 1946 MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE DISCHARGE OF STREAMS F LIQUID Malcolm B. Boyce, Haverhill, Mass. Y

i 7, Application October 31, 1944, $erial No. 561,314

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for pressure discharge of streams of liquid.

7 Claims. 01. 299-59) r More particularly it relates to a vacuum controlled mechanism for intermittently delivering streams of liquid under pressure through relatively minute orifices including automatic means for cleaning the orifices following each intermittent delivery of liquid therethrough.

The invention has a broad field of 'utilityin the general art of discharging liquid in relatively fine streams, especially Where conservation of the liquid is important and certainty ofeflicient operation is requisite. of the invention has been in association with a motor vehicle for lubricating the rubber tire treads thereby to prolong the useful life of the' tires. It is among the objects of my invention to provide a liquid discharging mechanism for delivering a liquid through one Or more small orifices during predetermined spacedapart time interva and under vacuum control.

Another object is to provide a liquid discharg ing mechanism having one or more minute orifices for intermittent delivery of liquid in one or re St eams and having. means automatically operative for mechanically cleaning each orifice after each. delivery of liquid therethrough.

Still another object is to provide a liquid discharging mechanism having one or more minute orifices and having means for vacuum controlled intermittent mechanical cleaning of said orifices.

A further object is to provide a liquid discharging mechanism having openable and. closable nozzle orifices, and including a supply of air or other gas under pressure, a supply of liquid subjected to pressure of the air, and a source of vacuum for intermittently opening and closing the nozzle orifices and controlled by pressure of said air. 'Yet another object is to provide a gang of nozzle orifices and a gang of pins for closing and simultaneously cleaning the orifices, and vacuum controlled pressure means for intermittently closing the nozzle orifices. a

It is, moreover, my purpose and object gener- Qne particular application ally to improve upon prior mechanisms for pressure discharge of streams of liquid.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a nozzle unit embodying features of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan of the unit shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan with the upper portion of the unit removed, at line 3-3 of Figurel, to g I before plate 30 is mounted, may be inserted show the interior of the nozzle chamber;

' 'Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

' Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showmg the nozzle operating and control mechanism. 7

Referring to the drawings, the nozzle unit shown in detail in Figs. 1-5 is illustrated in the form of a rectangular box In which preferably will be castof a suitable metal, althoughit may be molded oryotherwise formed of any suitable composition or plastic material, or even may be made up of wood sections or sections of any other suitably strong and rigid material. The box [0 has it's top side closed by a cover plate I2 which may be secured in any suitable manner, as by the screws [4, a gasket I5 intervening to ensure a watertightconnection; Ears I6 are provided exteriorly at the base of, the box for convenience in mounting the unit at any desired location.

Within the box ID, as best seen in Figs. 3-5, are two parallel upstanding walls l8 each substantially spaced from opposite side walls of the box. Preferably the walls l8 have openings [9 therethrough for free passage of water. Slidably mounted in the walls 18 are the pins 20 of which four'are shown, it being understood that the number' of pins is a matterof choice and may be varied as desired. 1

As represented, each pin has a relatively lon cylindrical body 2!] nicely fitting slidably in aligned holes 22in the spaced interior walls l8, one end of each pin having an axially projecting needle 24 thereon preferably formed as an integral part of the body 20, although the needle may be a separate element if, secured to the body 20 inI-a manner to e lSure that it will not pull out or become loose.

According'to, the invention relatively small nozzle orifices 25 are provided in the front wall of box l0 and a pi 26. is aligned with each orifice for intermittent closing and opening of the orifice by movement of the needle art 24 into and out of the orifice. Liquidis delivered under pressure to the interior of box I 9 through conduit 28, and'discharges in fine streams through the orifices 26 when they latter are open. I In order to facilitate manufacture and assembly of parts, the nozzle orifices 26 preferably are 0 in a metal plate 30 secured on the front-wall of box H] as by screws 3.2, with a suitable gasket 34 intervening. With this construction, relatively large holes 36 may be provided in the front wall of box, 10 opposite th pins 20, and the pins,

through these holes 36 which must be larger in diameter than the body 20 of a pin. Also, with the needle ends 24 of the pins projected forward through these holes 36, the plate 36 may be guided to proper position by threading it on the projected needles. By having the screw holes 38 in the plate over-size, the plate may be secured in its position determined by its said threading on the needles, ensuring that the orifices 26 will be properly aligned with the needles. r

All of the pins 20 operate in unison to and from closed positions. For this purpose and also to prevent rotation of the pins, a tie rod 40 extends through all of the pin bodies 20, the tie rod as represented having its opposite ends bent as at 42 for maintaining the ti rod in pin-connecting position.

The pins 20 are operated in unison by means of a rock shaft 44 mounted in liquid tight bearings 46 in opposite side walls of box I0, the rock shaft extending across the interior of the box below and transversely of the pins at a mid locationbetween the interior spaced walls I8. Two rocker fingers 48 are secured to the rock shaft interiorly of the box, each bifurcated at 50 for engaging the tie rod 45 between its bifurcations. Hence any rocking of shaft 44 causes unitary movement of the pins 20 toward or away from the nozzle orifices 26. Mounted on the cover plate I2 of box I is a cylinder 52 having a piston 54 operable therein. As represented, the cylinder 52 is clamped stationarily in a support 56 upstandin on cover plate I2, the cylinder resting on a semi-cylindrical grooved seat 58 in the upper part of the support and being clamped therein by a semi-cylindrical cap 60 secured by screws 62. A set screw 64 may be provided, if desired, as a further 'retaining means for the cylinder in the clamp.

.As best seen in Fig, 4, the piston 54, in response to gaseous pressure entering the cylinder chamber 53 through theconduit 66, moves to the left in Fig. 4 against the resilience of a coil spring 68 which latter restores the pisto to its position of Fig. 4 when the pressure is relieved and the conduit 66 opened to atmosphere. A vent 55 is provided on the spring side of the cylinder. It will be observed that the cylinder 52 is so arranged that the movement of the piston under gaseous pressure is generally parallel with and in the same direction as the paths of movement of the pins 26 from open to closed positions. a 7

According. to the invention, a movement of the piston 54 causes movement of the pins 20. This is accomplished by forming a shank ID on the piston and having the shank extend an appreciable distance outward through the end wall of cylinder 52, for operable connection to the rock shaft 44. The connection may be variously effected although I prefer the illustrated form wherein a pair of rocker arms I2 have link connection to the piston shank. Each rocker arm may have its lower end secured on a non-round portion I4 of a projecting end of the rock shaft 44, held on by a nut I6 and a cotter pin I8. The

upper end of each rocker arm ispivotally connected at 80 to one end of a link 82 whose other end is pivotall connected at 84 to a'stifi rod or pin 86 rigid with piston shank I0 and projecting at opposite sides thereof. A pair of pins 81 pro-, ject from the cylinder head and prevent rotation of the piston. V, ,7

Referring now to the diagrammatic showing of. Fig. 6, my improved mechanism includes a suitable supply of liquid, shown held in the liquid 4 pressure, shown held in the air supply tank 90. Assuming the invention mounted on a motor vehicle for lubricating the vehicle tires, the supply tanks 88, 90 will be carried b the vehicle at any convenient locations thereon. If the vehicle is a motor truck having pneumatic brakes, the usual pressure chamber for operating the brakes may be utilized for supplying the gaseous pressure for operating the nozzle. The suction of the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine is utilized for automatic control of the nozzle. It should be understood, however, that any other source of gaseous pressure and any other means of providing controlling suction or vacuum may be employed without departing from the intended scope of the invention.

As herein illustrated, the liquid supply conduit 1 28 extends from the liquid supply tank 88 and opens into the interior of box I0, a valve 92 in conduit 29 controlling the flow of liquid. Air in tank 90 may be maintained at a desired pressure by an suitable means not shown). A conduit 94 leads from this tank through the regulator valve 96 and through control valve 98, beyond which it connects with conduit 66 opening into the cylinder chamber 53. A branch conduit I00 opens from conduit 94 into the upper part of the liquid supply tank 88 thereby to subject liquid in tank 88 to the pressure on the low pressure side of the regulator valve 96. Preferably a pressure gauge I92 is provided in conduit 94 adjacent the pressure tank 90, and a similar pressure gauge I04 in conduit 94 beyond the branch conduit I06 for readily checking prevailing pressures,

According to my invention the suppl of air under pressure is openedonly intermittently into cylinder chamber 53 so that the pins 20 and more particularly their needle ends 24 will intermittently close and open the nozzle orifices during operation of the mechanism. Also both supply conduits 94 and 28 are closed by the control valves 96, 92 excepting when suction in vacuum line I06, communicated to the interior of vacuum cylinder I08, permits atmospheric pressure to elevate the piston H0 in vacuum cylinder I08 against the relatively light pull of coil spring II 2 which is connected to the projecting end of the piston shaft II4 and to a fixed anchorage at I I6 which may be a bracket mounted on the conduit 28. The control valves 98, 92 are connected to the piston shaft H4 at II8 so that spring IIZ draws them to closed position except when suction or partial vacuum prevails in the suction line.

Intermittent opening and closing of pressure conduit 94 is accomplished by means of two vacuum motors I20 which may be regular wind shield wiper motors whose reciprocating arms I22 are connected to the upper end of links I23 whose lower ends are connected to cranks I24 on opposite ends of a worm I26 mounted for rotation in suitable bearings I26. The reciprocating arms I22, acting through the links I23, turn the cranks always in the same direction thereby to rotate the worm I26 always in the same direction. The cranks are positioned so that both can never be on dead center at the same time.

The worm I26 has meshing therewith aworm Wheel I 30 fixed on a shaft I62 which extends between the two valves I64, I36 which may be of a type which. open and close by rotation in onedirection. vThe valve stem of valve I34 is connected to one end of shaft I32 and the valve stem of valve I36 is connected to the opposite end of shaft I32, and the valves are disposed so supply tank 86, and a suitable supply of air under that rotation of worm wheel I 39 opens and closes the valves intermittently and in slow succession with one valve always open when the other is closed.

Valve H4 is in the pressureconduit 94'; between the shut-off valve $6 therein and the conduit 65. Valve 53$ is an exhaust valve connected to conduit 65 for exhausting air from cylinder 53 after each pressure operation of its piston 5d.

Assuming a suitable gaseous pressure in tank 99, which may be one hundred pounds per square inch, for example, if the pressure is required to operate pneumatic brakes, the regulator valve 95 may reduce the pressure to say twenty pounds per square inch in the system beyond it. If the engine is not running, both shut-oil valves $8, 92 will be closed. As soon as the engine starts anda partial vacuum is created in vacuum cylinder I88, piston Ht therein will be forced upward by atmospheric pressure and the valves HS, $23 will be opened. Starting of the engine will have started the vacuum motors E26 which in turn will have started operation of the control valve I34 and exhaust valve A35, so that, as soon as the shut-oil" valves 58, 92 are opened, air under pressure will be delivered intermittently into cylinder chamber 53 and intermittently exhausted therefrom, and liquid will be delivered under pressure into box l8. Each charge of entering air will force the piston i i to the left (Fig. 4) against the resilience of spring 58, thereby through the connections 82, i2, 55, and

moving the pins 28 to orifice closing position in which their needles 24 will be projected into the orifices .25. In this position the needles close or substantialy close the orifices 255. However, they remain closed for only a short period because the vacuum motors Mil acting through the worm. E25 and worm wheel l-Ei! cause intermittont reversals of valves 53%, 836, closing valve I 34 after each pressure charge has been delivered to cylinder 53 and simultaneously opening valve E35 for exhaust of th pressure charge from the chamber, aided by the spring urged return of piston 5%. Hence, so long as there is suction partial vacuum in line tilt permitting lifting of plunger 5 iii the vacuum cylinder I538 to hold shut-off valves $58, 92 open, there will be intermttent flow through the orifices 2%, the intermittency of which. conserves liquid and permits selection of the duration or" the on and off periods.

If the system is to be associated with'a motor truck or the like having pneumatic brakes and the usual. pressure tank for operating the brakes is used as the pressure tank 9 3 of Fig. 6, provision must be made ensuring that the system shall not be permitted reduce th air pressure in tank 91! below what is requisite for effectively operating the pneumatic brakes. I provide this assurance by means of a self-closing cut-oil valve I38 in the vacuum line Hit. with conduit connection his to the pressure line Assuming that sixty pounds pressure is required for operation of the brakes, valve 538 may be set to require a pressure of sixty-five or seventy pounds to open it so that it will be held open whenever the pressure in tank Gil is up to or above the opening requirement of the valve. If the pressure in tank 90 for any reason should drop below the sixty-five or seventy pounds setting of valve 138, the valve automatically will close and stop the system until the pressure has been restored.

In use of the invention for lubricating the treads of vehicle tires, a nozzle box iii may be suitably mounted for its orifices 2t to deliver liquid onto the, tread of each tire, preferably at a location where the liquid will hit the tread as it starts downward toward. road'engagement, so that each portion of tread moving to road-engaging positionwill have a lubricating film of liquid thereon 'for reducing frictionalwear upon the tread.

I claim as my invention:

l. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a chamber having a piurality of orifioes in a wall thereof, a plurality of pins within the chamber and interconnected for movement axially toward and from said orifices in unison,

rock. shaft extending into said chamber, connections between the rock shai't and the pins whereby rotary movement of the rock shaft efiects atrial movement of said pins, a cylinder with spring backed piston the *ein adjacent to said chamber, connections between said piston and said rock hait whereby movement of said piston in direction opposed by said spring rocks said rock shaft in direction 1 to project said pins through said orifices and movement of the piston in direction urged by said spring rocks said rock in direction to retract the pins from said orifices, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said chamber, and means for intermittently applying force to said piston to move it in direction opposed by said spring.

2'. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a chamber having a plurality of orifices in a wall thereof, a vacuum-controlled means for intermittently opening and closing said orifices, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said chamber, a valve controlling the liquid supply to said chamber, means for closing said valve, and vacuum-controlled means normally operative to maintain said valve open.

3. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a chamber having a plurality of orifioes in a wall thereof, a vacuum conduit, vacuumcontrolled means including a connection to said vacuum conduit for intermittently opening and closing said orifices, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said chamber, a valve controlling the liquid supply to said chamber, means for closing said valve, and means subjected to the partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit and responsive to atmospheric pressure thereon for opening said valve and maintaining it open so long as a partial vacuum of predetermined character prevails in said vacuum conduit.

4. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a chamber having a plurality of orifices in a wall thereof, pressure responsive means for opening and closing said orifices, a pressure conduit connected to said pressure responsive means, means for maintaining a predetermined gaseous pressure in the pressure conduit, a valve in the pressure conduit controlling said pressure responsive means, a vacuum conduit, means responsive to the partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit and operative to open and close said valve in the pressure conduit intermittently whereby to produce intermittent operation of said pressure responsive means, and means for supplying liquid under pressure to said chamber.

5. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a chamber having a plurality of orifices in a wall thereof, pressure responsive means for opening and closing said orifices, a pressure conduit connected to said pressure responsive means, means for maintaining a predetermined gaseouspressureinthe pressure conduit, a valve in the pressure conduit controlling said pressure responsive means, a vacuum conduit, means responsive to the partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit and operative to open and close said valve in the pressure conduit intermittently whereby to produce intermittent operation of said pressure responsive means, a valve in the vacuum conduit held open by pressure in the pressure conduit and adapted to close when the pressure in the latter conduit drops below a predetermined amount, and means for supplying liquid under pressure to said chamber.

6. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a chamber having a plurality of orifices in a wall thereof, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said chamber, a vacuum conduit, pins movable into and out of said orifices, means responsive to partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit for intermittently moving said pins into and out of said orifices, a valve controlling the liquid supply to said chamber and adapted to be maintained open when the partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit is of a predetermined character, and means for closing said valve.

7. Mechanism for pressure discharge of liquid, comprising a liquid supply conduit, an air pressure supply conduit, a vacuum conduit, a valve for each said conduit, means for closing each of said valves, means for applying the pressure in the air pressure supply conduit to the valve in the vacuum conduit to maintain said valve open so long as the pressure is of predetermined magnitude, means for opening the said valves in the liquid supply conduit and the air pressure supply conduit by the partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit whereby atmospheric pressure on said opening means maintains the said valves open so long as the partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit is of predetermined character, and means for delivering intermittent streams of liquid in response to the conjoint action of partial vacuum in said vacuum conduit and pressure in said air pressure supply conduit.

MALCOLM B. BOYCE. 

